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Barcelona president Joan Laporta recently gave an extensive interview where he covered a range of topics, including the appointment of Hansi Flick, the squad’s expectations for the next season, and the reasons behind Xavi’s dismissal, among other things.
Here, we focus on three key points that stood out during the interview:
Diverging visions led to Xavi’s dismissal
One of the most talked-about subjects was the dismissal of Xavi and questions about his sacking were inevitable, given the ups and downs the team experienced in the latter half of the season.
In late January, after a defeat to Villarreal, Xavi had announced his decision to leave, only to change his mind a few months later.
Despite this, things didn’t go as planned. After Barcelona’s final league match, the management issued a statement that Xavi had been dismissed by President Laporta.
Laporta explained that, although Xavi performed well as a manager, their visions for the team did not align.
Xavi and the Barcelona board did not see eye to eye. (Photo by LLUIS GENE/AFP via Getty Images)
The main issue arose when Xavi and Laporta had differing views on the squad’s potential. This difference in perspective prompted Laporta to look for alternatives, with Hansi Flick emerging as the most appealing option.
“What changed? A change of discourse about the squad and made me realise that I had to give another impulse, it made me think again, and I thought of Hansi Flick,” admitted Laporta.
“Everything was forced when we accepted Xavi’s continuation because he had said he was leaving,” he added.
Lewandowski’s future at Barcelona is secured
Had Xavi remained in charge, there was a possibility that veteran forward Robert Lewandowski might have been sold.
Xavi was reportedly not satisfied with keeping Lewandowski on the team and had even started considering a replacement for him. This led to speculation that Lewandowski would be sold.
However, the arrival of Hansi Flick changed the…
Source link : https://barcauniversal.com/three-main-takeaways-from-barcelona-president-joan-laportas-interview/
Author : Ash Reyna
Publish date : 2024-06-05 06:20:00
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